Alternative Solutions

Do nothing
In a publicly available legal document the existing pipeline capacity is listed at 1.9 billion litres (YVR is currently consuming 1.4 Billon litres per year) a year and YVR now has new 40 million litre tank farm that on average will hold over 10 days of fuel storage available at YVR to buffer peak usage. The current fuel provider to YVR has stated emphatically that they can provide 100% of YVR current jet fuel needs. With addition fuel pumps the fuel could be delivered more quickly during peak periods.

Possible pipeline route for a Vancouver Airport to Cherry Point refinery option.

Possible pipeline route for a Vancouver Airport to Cherry Point refinery option.

VAPOR is not opposed to expanded fuel delivery options to Vancouver International Airport. The solution must be responsible and safe for community and environment in which it operates.

Out of the 14 options Vancouver Airport Fuel Facilities Corporation (VAFFC) very briefly outlined, the Marine Terminal is nowhere near the safest or environmentally responsible solution However, a low cost and most likely safest to humanity and the environment option (out of the 14) is a 70km pipeline to the Cherry point refinery. A double walled, buried, pipeline with latest in leak detection, directionally drilled under waterway that follow the seldomly unearth highway right of way. VAFFC identifies that pipeline length and cross-border jurisdictional problems and worries that one of the two local refineries could have a breakdown. As a solution to local refineries and Alberta oil they want to ship jet fuel from south east Asia.

The pipelines (keeping existing pipeline plus pipeline to Cherry Point) option may even cost less to construct than the Marine Terminal and several cross border pipelines exist including ones that goes from Alberta to the two local refineries including that at Cherry Point. The public has not heard any complaints from Sea Tac airport about its 160km long pipeline to Cherry Point. Plus both Cherry point and Chevron in Burnaby already have marine terminals, Cherry Point's new marine terminal has the added benefit that the tankers do not have navigate narrow waterways like the Georgia Strait, Burrard Inlet or the Fraser River. If VAFFC is keen on importing offshore jet fuel why can they not arrange for such fuel to be brought to Cherry Point and piped to YVR? I think that would put YVR in the enviable position of the safest (to people and the environment) fuel access to two refineries and two marine terminals and it would keep fuel tankers out the Fraser River estuary and reduce tanker traffic into Burrard Inlet.

Upgrade and increase the capacity of the existing line

There has been no documented leaks or malfunctions on existing pipeline that has operated for 40 years, by upgrading (twining) a existing pipeline right of way that is already in existance seems like an option that should have been propperly assessed and commented on by the public.